Rabbit Rillettes

Photo: flickr user jbcurio

Ingredients

1 rabbits

500 grams pork belly

1 teaspoon garlic, crushed

1 bouquet garni

salt, pepper

1 cup white wine

2 cups water

Preparation

Joint rabbit, if whole, and cut pork belly into 3cm cubes.

Cook pork in a heavy saucepan over gentle heat until it starts to render its fat then add rabbit pieces.

Bury whole clove of garlic and bouquet garni in the middle, season lightly with salt and pepper and add a 2:1 wine:water mixture to just cover. Cook over lowest possible heat, covered, for 3-4 hours, by which time the rabbit meat should fall easily off the bones.

Cool, then remove meat. Separate rabbit meat from bones, then mash in a blender or food processor or shred meat using two forks.

Strain cooking liquid, add gradually to meat along with seasonings - salt and pepper, pinch ground ginger and nutmeg. Check taste as seasonings are added, but make it rather highly seasoned.

Add enough liquid to make a soft but firm mixture. Turn into a pot or bowl to chill, stirring from time to time to reincorporate the fat, which will otherwise rise to the top.

Seal with foil or plastic wrap.

Remove from refrigerator 30-60 minutes before serving.

Accompany with good fresh bread or thin toast, on which to spread the rillettes, and olives or tiny pickled gherkins.

Rillettes will keep for about two weeks in the refrigerator.